Thomas w



(No Model.)

T. W. HUGHES.

LADDER.

No. 352,922. Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS W. HUGHES, OF BUTLER, MISSOURI.

LADDE'R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,922, dated November 23, 1886.

Application filed April 27, 1886.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS WJHUGHES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butler, in the county of Bates and State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ladders, of which thefollowing is a specification. I

My invention relates to an improvement in ladders; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combinatiouof devices,that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention in use as a straightladder. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same used as a step or platform ladder. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of the joint of the ladder.

A represents a ladder, which is jointed at the center, so as to form an upper section, B, and a lower section, 0. These sections are joined together by strap-hinges D, which are preferably made of malleable iron.

E represents side rails, which are secured to the outer side of the lower section by means of screws or bolts 6, and by means of rungsf and f, the ends of which project beyond the outer side of the'lower section of the ladder and pass through the rails E. Theseside rails extend upwardly along the lower outer sides of the top section of the ladder for a suitable distance. Near the upper ends of these rails, on their inner sides,are made open grooves or notches H, which receivethe projecting ends of the rung Zin the upper section when the ladder is straight.

M represents loops or bails, which are pivoted to the upper section of theladder, and

are adapted to engage the upper ends of the side rails, E, so as to secure the-upper section of the ladder firm] yto the said side rails, thereby locking the upper and lower sections of the ladder very firmly together. The side rails,

' E,serve to stiffen the center of the ladder and prevent it from swaying and vibrating lat-' erally.

N represents semicircular curved slotted arms, which are pivoted to the lower section of the ladder, as at n, and extend to the upper section of the ladder,-the center of the rung f, between the upper and lower sections Serial No. 200,363. (No model.)

of the ladder, forming the'center of the circlesof which the curved arms form segments. Through the slots inthe curved arms pass setscrews 0, which enter the inner'sides of the side railsof the upper section of the ladder, and thus permit the said upper section to be clamped firmly to the curved arms at any desired adjustment and at any angle with reference to the lower section of the ladder.'

In order to convert the ladder into a step or platform ladder the loops or bails M are first released from .the upperends of the side rails, E, and the upper section. of the ladder is folded over inthe position shown in Fig. 2. The platform F is placed on the rungs Z and fin a horizontal position, the said platform having a metallic strap, 0, secured on its under side, the ends of the strap being bent toform hooks p, to catch the rungs Z and f and prevent the sections of the ladder from moving farther apart. The upper ends of the side rails, E, extend above the platform, thereby forming an extension, as shown, and a rung,r, may be secured in the notches H of the said side rails made vacant by the rung l, which'rung 1 may be used to hang a bucket or basket upon when the step-ladder is used in picking fruit the rung Z in the. upper section, substantially as described. 1

2. The combination, in a ladder, of the upper and lower sections, pivoted or hinged to-' gether, and the curved armsconnecting the said sections, the said arms being secured to one of the,sections,and the other section being provided with means for clamping the arms thereto at any desired angle, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a ladder, of the upper and lower sections, pivoted together, the

curved slotted arms secured to the lower see my own I have hereto affixed my signature in tion and extending to the upper section of the presence of two witnesses. ladder, and the set-screws extending through the slots of the curved arms and entering the THOMAS HUGHES 5 upper section of the ladder, for the purpose set \Vituesses:

forth, substantially as described. E. C. GIBBS,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as E. S. CHATTERTON. 

